Swanton, Ohio.
A gem of a town on State Route 2, and a must-stop along the New York Central railroad. This mural was conceived to give the passersby a glimpse of the town’s history and the magic that exists because of it. Depicting several momentous events while incorporating the beautiful life that encapsulates the town today.
Commissioned in 2020, by Deacon D. Dzierzawski and Heather L. Wegener, designed and completed by Robert Gilsdorf III in 2023.
Starting from the right, you will see a storm quickly approaching and a tornado being brought with it. This is in reference to the terrible storm that flattened much of Swanton back in 1920. The storm leveled many buildings including (buildings). This left Swanton in a vulnerable position, requiring the town to come together and rebuild. To the left of the tornado is the 1900s reservoir flood and the old water tower. Furthermore, to the left is E. M. Viquesney Doughboy depicting a WW1 soldier with a rifle in his hand. From there, you get a lively view of Main Street with the beautifully restored homes and the High School marching band as they rally the townspeople for homecoming or jam in the Corn Festival parade. The pillars in the center of the mural are the same pillars from the first high school built in Swanton in 1904.
Materials were brought by horse and wagon as the $30,000, three-story school was built, and when completed, it stood as one of the highest buildings in Swanton. Left of the school, in the background, lie the beautiful sun-soaked farmlands of Northwest Ohio. Harvesting the fields and pioneering the future of steam engine technology, A.D. Baker sits on his tractor, waving at the many. In the foreground stand a number of historical buildings, including the opera house, Brockhoff’s Dry Goods storefront, and the Swanton railroad station. Accompanying them are the Swanton arrow sign and the railroad itself.
Key Depictions
- Tornado of 1920 which damaged many of the buildings and houses along Main St.
- Reservoir breach of 1908 leading to the building of the current reservoir
- Swanton Water Tower
- WW I Doughboy by E. M. Viquesney Doughboy gifted by France to Swanton in 1926
- Depiction of the Swanton High School Marching band coming from N Main St, where some of the oldest houses in Swanton can be seen (circa 1890s)
- The façade of Swanton High School (1904-2008). The columns depicted are now part of the Fisher Gym, located on Cherry St.
- Swanton Opera House (circa 1896), present-day location of Benfield Wines
- Farm fields with a Baker Steam Engine in the background, built by A.D. Baker in Swanton, 1898-1928
- Green two-story wood structure, a depiction of the original building located at 95/97 N Main S,t and moved to make way for the Interurban Railway, 1907-1921
- White building that was the Brockhoff Dry Goods store (1953-1966), present-day location of Studio 101
- Neon Swanton Arrow pointing to downtown (1950s-1970’s refurbished in 2009), located at Airport and S. Main St.
- Swanton Railway Station 1900-1950s,